![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by CaffeinePoet on July 10, 2010, at 14:47:40
Hey folks,
From age 24-26, I took Serzone. When I got off, I had horrible withdrawal involving electric shocks, memory loss, and the like. I quickly went on another SSRI (Zoloft) briefly, because of my confusing discontinuation symptoms with anxiety symptoms.
From age 27-34, I took Effexor. I quit because of short-term memory problems and motivation problems. I noticed a rebound in short term memory and motivation after getting off it. But 7 months after getting off, I still have minor cognitive problems. Slow to catch on to things, abnormal memory problems.
I just restarted with a small 12.5mg dose of Effexor, and my 'memory' issues were greatly improved.
Brain damage? The Synapses need the drug to work now? Possibly Serzone killed off enough brain cells that I now need a drug for normal function?
Posted by Conundrum on August 31, 2010, at 6:01:07
In reply to Memory Loss and powerful antidepressants, posted by CaffeinePoet on July 10, 2010, at 14:47:40
Interesting I've had a similar problem after coming off prozac. That is, memory problems after coming off the drug but better while on the drug.
I have no idea why this is. I too find that a low dose of prozac improves cognition, but not memory, just concentration.
I have no idea how drugs do this. Thats the $64,000 question. I'm guessing though that drugs change brain physiology and like you said don't function so well without the drug. Ironically after stopping prozac I can now no longer tolerate it! It makes everything worse. I think the benefit I felt from it may have come from its effects on other transmitters and unknown downstream effects than just the serotonin, because the effects seemed to get stronger with time and it gave me a lot of energy. So I'm hoping my brain and body just wants more of the stimulating hormones and is just not totally shot to h3ll.
Posted by CaffeinePoet on May 5, 2011, at 9:35:03
In reply to Re: Memory Loss and powerful antidepressants » CaffeinePoet, posted by Conundrum on August 31, 2010, at 6:01:07
Hey,
it's been long enough that I wanted to give an update:
I continued off of Effexor all year. I slowly recovered as normal of a memory as I have ever had. (I say 'as normal' because right now I'm being looked over for ADD.)
I can't say if the Effexor withdrawal is what caused the prior symptoms, or other health issues I was having last year at this time with my thyroid. Regardless, my memory symptoms improved greatly within a year off Effexor.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Neurotransmitters | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.